Mr. McCain in an exclusive interview with ARY News said: “General Raheel Sharif is an outstanding leader and I hope that he would be able to continue to serve the country in very difficult times.”

He said Gen Sharif enjoys complete command on military matters. He also stated that the COAS can help improve Pak-US relations.

In January this year, the army chief had issued a statement, saying he doesn’t believe in extension of his service and at the same time asserted that he will retire on the due date [that falls in November 2016].

Senator McCain made no secret of his admiration for the army chief and termed him an able military officer.

Pakistan was angered over a recent US drone strike which killed the Taliban’s leader Mullah Akthar Mansour in May in Balochistan. The US Congress also blocked the subsidised sale of eight F-16 jet fighters to Pakistan in May accusing of it of being lax in the fight against militants.